Profile Sophie Gellynck

Sophie Gellynck has been with Milliken for almost 25 years as a Technical Associate in the Chemical Department, working predominantly on colorants for the polyurethane product line. She is based in Ghent in Belgium.

Tell us a bit about your role at Milliken, what does it involve? What project are you working on?

I undertake color matching work for our current and prospective customers, testing our available colors and new colorants in their systems. Whilst most of my work is focused on the polyurethane industry, we also try to expand our business by testing in, for example, phenolic and epoxy systems.

Do you cover a particular region or have local technical knowledge that helps Milliken’s customers?

I work for European customers but, if needed, we help our customers, prospective customers and colleagues in other parts of the world. My color matching experience always helps in finding a good solution to their challenges.

What does a typical week look like for you?

My weekly work schedule can change a lot depending on the urgency of the requests from customers. From time to time I need to temporarily stop a certain project to switch to another, more urgent one. I also combine customer requests with safety, the purchasing of lab material and sampling and really enjoy that my job is varied.

What is your favorite part of the job?

After 25 years at Milliken, it's still a pleasure to come to work! It’s a combination of working directly for customers, and doing a lot of other projects and working closely with a lot of nice colleagues… what else do I need?!

Do you have a particular customer success story or a highlight that you are proud of?

Once a customer asked for an ‘urgent’ colormatch, early in the morning. As it was so urgent, I gave this one the highest priority and could send the results at noon. Just before going home, I got feedback from the customer that the shade of the foam produced in the afternoon, using my suggested formulation, was perfect.

What’s is your favorite Milliken memory?

I have a lot of good memories after all these years, not only work related but also fun times together with colleagues.

What’s special about Milliken’s Chemical business? What do you like about the company?

It feels like a big family!

What’s one piece of advice you have for someone looking for a job or internship at Milliken?

It’s a great place to work.